KTWV01-Issue 9: Stephanian Authors

Hi Stephanians,

I have restructured the page slightly so that it loads quicker on your browser. I will limit the kilobyte size of this page by keeping it to a maximum of six issues. I will move the old issues to archive files, each of which will contain six issues.

I have also included a link to the World Alumni Registry Stephanian Page. You can click there and register your Stephanian connections.

I have also linked other web pages and lists maintained by Stephanians so that you can visit them if you desire. If any of you have a web page which has something to say to Stephanians, do let me know so that I can add your link at this site.

This week has been rather uneventful as far as email from all of you out there. Maybe all of you that took the trouble and filled out the poll form on my main page (thanks) were so exhausted that you took a break from sending any other mail!

Picture of Montek Singh Alhuwalia

The latest issue of THE WEEK has a nice picture of Finance Secretary, Stephanian (1960-1965) Montek Singh Alhuwalia (also a Rhodes Scholar), standing at the side of the present Finance Minister, Mr. P. Chidambaram, just before the presentation of the recent budget.

Montek has changed his turban style to the more conformist type. He used to have a unique and fascinating way of tying his turban when he was in college. It was nice to note, that like me, Montek has filled out with age, although unlike me, he has not become grossly overweight with a pot-belly.

Stephanian Authors

I am still looking for information about Stephanians who are authors, the intention being to compile a web page as part of this site of these names along with details of the books published by them. I have a few additions to my list.

Stephanian Amitav Ghosh teaches at Columbia University, New York. He has written three novels, "The Circle of Reason", "The Shadow Lines" and "The Calcutta Chromosome", plus one non-fiction called "In An Antique Land".

Stephanian Upamanyu Chatterjee published the book "English August: An Indian Story" which has been made into a film. His latest novel is "The Last Burden".

Stephanaian Sashi Tharoor has written "The Great Indian", "Show Business" and "The Five Dollar Smile", which is a collection of short stories.

If any of you out there can give me details about these writers, any other books that they may have published, as well info about any other Stephanians that you know who have published books and can be considered to be authors, I would be most obliged.

My intention is also to have reviews of the books authored by Stephanians available on the web page. If any of you can send me reviews of the books that you have read by Stephannian authors, they would be most welcome.

In the context of authors, could someone out there confirm or deny whether economist author Ravi Batra at the Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas is a Stephanian or not. I had a Ravi Batra (from Assansol) as a classmate in college. Before we parted he gave me snap, on the back of which he had written:

To Jacob with fond regards

sd: Ravi Batra

Born: 1943

Died: _____

I saw a snap of the author Ravi Batra in the TIME magazine a few years ago, just after his book "The Great Depression" had hit the headlines. These two Ravi Batras either are twins as they share all the same features, a very stocky face structure and bushy eyebrows or, by some quirk of fate, are look-alikes with the same name!!. I remain puzzled so please put me out of my agony!

I guess, that is all my ramblings for this week.

Editor Jacob Matthan
Oulu, Finland